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Calcium (Ca) deficiency symptoms, such as blossom end rot in tomato and tip burn in lettuce, are among the most serious physiological disorders in agriculture. A common feature of this disorder is the expansion of necrosis. However, mechanisms underlying Ca-deficiency-induced necrosis remain poorly understood. We previously identified callose synthase genes (GSL1, GSL8, GSL10) as the causal genes of low-Ca-sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, which exhibit severe cell death in true leaves and reduced callose accumulation in cotyledons under low-Ca conditions. This raises the question of whether callose accumulation suppresses the spread of cell death. To clarify their relationship within the same organ, we examined callose deposition and cell death in the cotyledons of the gsl10 mutant. Although the gsl10 mutant showed a comparable level of total cell death to wild-type plants, the necrotic spots were larger. Furthermore, the largest necrotic spots were typically found at the cotyledon tip, but this tendency was weaker in gsl10 mutant. Collectively, our results suggest that callose does not suppress the initiation of cell death but rather limits its propagation, thereby leading to the formation of a characteristic necrotic pattern preferentially occurring at the cotyledon tip.

Adolescence is a sensitive window for the maturation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function; however, the timing and mechanisms underlying this transition remain unclear, particularly in females and in response to repeated homotypic stress. We measured corticosterone (CORT) release and glucocorticoid-related gene expression in postpubertal (P45) and adult (P75) male and female rats after acute or repeated restraint. In males, adolescents elicited higher CORT responses than adults did after acute stress, although both ages showed habituation to repeated restraint. In contrast, females exhibited adult-like CORT responses by P45 and no evidence of habituation. At the molecular level, adolescents of both sexes displayed distinct medial prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus expression profiles of glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) and co-chaperones (Fkbp4, Fkbp5) relative to adults, though these effects were more pronounced in females, for whom there were also age- and stress-dependent changes in mineralocorticoid receptor (Nr3c2) expression. These findings suggest that while hormonal stress responses mature earlier in females than in males, sex-specific trajectories of molecular regulation continue to develop into late adolescence, potentially shaping long-term vulnerability to stress-related disorders.

Therapeutic immunization against tumor neoantigens has the potential to induce potent and highly selective CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Consequently, immunization strategies that generate robust neoantigen-specific T-cell responses are needed. Here, we tested homologous and heterologous DNA- and peptide-based immunization strategies using a neoantigen model. We observed that priming with DNA followed by peptide boost immunization elicited the strongest CD8⁺ T-cell responses, which exhibited effector and memory precursor phenotypes and led to the formation of circulating and skin-resident memory T cells. In prophylactic settings, this immunization regimen delayed the growth of B16F10 melanoma and rejected EL4 lymphoma cells expressing a self-antigen. In a therapeutic setting, a DNA prime-peptide boost eliminated EL4 tumors expressing the neo-epitope model in most mice. Consistently, DNA prime-peptide boost targeting two bona fide neoepitopes of MC38 tumor model elicited neoepitope-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses and a marked therapeutic effect, which may be enhanced by combining with anti-PD-1 antibody. These results highlight the potential of DNA prime-peptide boost as a promising strategy for therapeutic neoantigen immunization that elicits strong CD8⁺ T-cell responses and potent antitumor effects.

Background: Rates of hypertensive disorders affecting pregnancy are increasing, and bipolar disorder is more common in pregnancy than previously thought.

Objective: The authors investigated differences in the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy between those with and without bipolar disorder (BPD) and between those receiving and not receiving pharmacotherapy for BPD. Differences in the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in those with BPD between those on prophylactic aspirin (ASA) and not, were also examined.

Methods: EPIC COSMOS was used to examine records from 2019 to 2023.

Results: The authors found a meaningful difference in proportions between those with and without BPD when observing development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy across years. Slightly increased odds of hypertensive disorders were found among those reporting BPD pharmacotherapy compared to those not. Slightly increased odds of hypertensive disorders occurred in those with BPD reporting ASA.

Conclusions: The increased odds among those reporting BPD pharmacotherapy could be due to sequelae of disease, medication used, or comorbidities. These findings further corroborate prior evidence of the increasing prevalence of both maternal health complications and mental health disorders int eh United States.

Regular exercise training can significantly improve the gut environment and influence the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota. These changes promote the production of beneficial metabolites, which may modulate blood pressure regulation through multiple mechanisms. The beneficial microbial species including Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Roseburia spp.,and Bacteroides spp. These beneficial microbes produce various metabolites during metabolism, including short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, lactic acid, bileacids, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. These metabolites are not only essential for maintaining gut health but also positively influence hypertension by modulating the nervous system, immune system, and improving metabolic function. This review aims to elucidate the complex interactions among exercise training, gut microbiota, and hypertension.

There has been a considerable controversy about vaccination practices of children with special health-care needs (CSHCNs) in China. We aim to describe current vaccination recommendations, immunization status, and vaccination safety of CSHCNs in Wuxi. We conducted a cross-sectional study of CSHCNs aged <18 y visiting the vaccination consultation clinic (VCC) at Wuxi Children's Hospital in 2020-2023. Demographic information was collected from Electronic Medical Records, vaccination data was obtained from Vaccination Integrated Service Management Information System of Jiangsu Province, China. Safety monitoring data was acquired from China National Adverse Events Following Immunization Information System (CNAEFIS). Descriptive data were presented as percentages, and Poisson test was used to compare the cumulative incidence of AEFIs between groups. Four thousand one hundred and twenty-two participants were included and the majority (73.0%) were under 12 months. The top three diseases consulted were those relating to the certain conditions originating in the perinatal period, developmental anomalies, and diseases of the blood or blood-forming organs. Only 6.1% had previously received all age-eligible vaccine doses before seeking evaluation. According to the vaccination guidance issued by the VCC, 59.9% were recommended to continue vaccine normally, partial vaccination was recommended for 37.2%, and 4.1% were advised to delay. A total of 3927 CSHCNs received 62,744 vaccine doses after consultation. None had serious adverse events and the cumulative incidence of AEFIs was higher than the general population of children. Specialist consultation is helpful to improve the vaccine uptake. Further research on strategies to improve the vaccination coverage of CSHCNs is warranted.

Background: Phenylcapsaicin (PC) may enhance high-intensity exercise performance by reducing perceived exertion, increasing mechanical output, and limiting muscle damage, making it potentially beneficial for CrossFit^® (CF) athletes.

Objective: To examine the acute effects of PC supplementation on performance, recovery, and metabolic responses during a CF session.

Methods: This study had a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Fifty CF-trained athletes (50% women) ingested either 2.5 mg of PC or a placebo (PLA) 45 minutes before a standardized CF session, including a warm-up, weightlifting block, and WOD. Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) was assessed 24- and 48-hours post-session. Countermovement jump (CMJ) was evaluated pre- and post-session, while a deep squat at 70% 1RM was performed post-session. Throughout the session, heart rate, capillary lactate, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and perceived recovery status (PRS) were monitored.

Results: Compared to PLA, PC improved squat performance at 70% 1RM in both load and repetitions (P ≤ 0.035), attenuated the decline in CMJ (P < 0.001), and maintained weightlifting performance over time (P interaction = 0.011), with significantly higher load in round 9 (P = 0.030). No differences were observed during the WOD (P interaction ≥ 0.826). DOMS was significantly lower in the PC group at both 24 h and 48 h (P = 0.030), while no group differences were found for lactate, RPE, PRS, or heart rate (P interaction ≥ 0.340). Analysis stratified by sex showed that PC reduced CMJ loss in men (P = 0.043) and increased squat load in women (P = 0.021).

Conclusion: In conclusion, acute PC supplementation enhances performance and recovery in CF athletes.

Purpose: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease primarily affecting the lungs and digestive system. Individuals with advanced CF lung disease may require transplantation to survive. Family members often take on significant caregiving roles, facing both emotional and practical challenges throughout the transplantation process. This study explores the experiences of such family members to inform and improve supportive care practices.

Method: Employing a naturalistic, exploratory design, this qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit 19 family members of lung transplant recipients with CF. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: The analysis identified three main themes and eight subthemes: (I) balancing hope and despair on the waiting list, (II) navigating challenges and finding relief after the transplantation, and (III) unmet support and informational needs before and after transplantation.

Conclusion: This study highlights the emotional burden and caregiving responsibilities shouldered by family members of individuals with CF who have undergone lung transplantation. The findings emphasise the importance of person- and family-centred interventions, including support for palliative care discussions. A more structured and inclusive framework is essential to address the often-overlooked needs of families throughout the transplantation process.

This study examines competition models based on the Lotka-Volterra form that incorporate starvation-driven diffusions (SDD). Such dispersal assumes that species disperse in response to resource abundance or scarcity in a heterogeneous habitat. The primary objective of this study is to examine how SDD, in combination with diverse interspecific interactions, affects species' fitness and coexistence states. To this end, the study introduces a refined classification for competing interactions based on a novel metric that quantifies the variability of resource heterogeneity across the environment. This approach contrasts with traditional models that assume uniform diffusion within homogeneous environments. This study investigates the local stability of two semitrivial steady states and establishes the existence and uniqueness of positive steady states by eigenvalue analysis and monotone dynamical systems theory. Through this analytical exploration, the study reveals that the interplay between species' dispersal strategies and the varying intensities of interspecific competition significantly impacts ecological outcomes.